This Weeks Friday Classic: Vertigo by U2 ad for iPod + iTunes Sometimes a hit single, a big band, new technology and savvy marketing combine to create a wave bigger even than the sum of the very big parts. 10 years ago, back before any of us had smart phones or tablets, it happened with this fairly standard hit single from a decent album. At that stage, iPods had captured the imagination - with the reference to open the pod bay door Hal from 2001 and the incredibly revolutionary design. But the iTunes approach was not catching on too strongly. In another sphere, the music industry was suffering from piracy. The forces combined and U2, for the first time ever, entered into a marketing agreement with Apple. But they didnt get paid. The reason they did it was to be able to continue to own the rights to sell their music. For apple, they got the biggest band in the world (which, in the post 2001, post All That You Cant Leave Behind era, actually meant credibility rather than disrespect) to promote iTunes. U2 got their own iPod, with more than 400 songs on it, and rode on the cutting edge of a wave. This is what Bruce Springsteen said about this video clip when he inducted U2 into Rock and Rolls Hall of fame: Well...there I was sitting down on the couch in my pajamas with my eldest son. He was watching TV. I was doing one of my favorite things -- I was tallying up all the money I passed up in endorsements over the years (laughter) and thinking of all the fun I could have had with it. Suddenly I hear Uno, dos, tres, catorce! I look up. But instead of the silhouettes of the hippie wannabes bouncing around in the iPod commercial, I see my boys [U2]! Oh, my God! They sold out! Now...what I know about the iPod is this: It is a device that plays music. Of course their new song sounded great, my guys are doing great, but methinks I hear the footsteps of my old tape operator Jimmy Iovine somewhere. Wily. Smart. Now, personally, I live an insanely expensive lifestyle that my wife barely tolerates. I burn money, and that calls for huge amounts of cash flow. But I also have a ludicrous image of myself that keeps me from truly cashing in. (laughter) You can see my problem. Woe is me. So the next morning, I call up Jon Landau -- or as I refer to him, the American Paul McGuinness -- and I say, Did you see that iPod thing? And he says, Yes. And he says, And I hear they didnt take any money. And I said, They didnt take any money?! And he says, No. I said, Smart, wily Irish guys. (laughter) Anybody...anybody...can do an ad and take the money. But to do the ad and not take the money...thats smart. Thats wily. I say, Jon, I want you to call up Bill Gates or whoever is behind this thing and float this: A red, white, and blue iPod signed by Bruce the Boss Springsteen. Now remember, no matter how much money he offers, dont take it! (laughter) At any rate...at any rate, after that evening, for the next month or so, I hear emanating from my lovely 14-year-old sons room, day after day, down the hall calling out in a voice that has recently dropped very low: Uno, dos, tres, catorce. The correct math for rock and roll. Thank you, boys. https://youtube/watch?v=nljs4kzpebU
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 01:52:37 +0000
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